Announcements

We’re back from Gencon, and we won 2 ENnies! Thank you all so much for this incredible honor, we couldn’t do any of this without any of you! Speaking of you guys, there’s still a comic to caption, so get on it before it’s too late! (Pssst, we’re throwing dice in this time.)

Topics

D&D Documentary

There’s a new D&D documentary on the horizon and it’s looking really good, they have a kickstarter up to help fund the project too (surprise!?). Micah and I aren’t exactly sure why they need one though, so tune in and tell us how wrong we are!

Fantasy Flight Does New Star Wars RPG

Another big announcement from gencon was that there was going to be a new 3 part Star Wars RPG from Fantasy Flight. Each game will focus on a different area of the world and take place during the original 3 films. You can buy a printed copy of the beta rules right now, and there are also some rumors that there will not be a PDF available due to some conflicts with Lucas Arts.

D&D Digital Products Return

During the first ever Keynote Address this year at Gencon, Wizards of the Coast had many announcements, probably the most exciting one being that all of their back catalog will return digitally sometime ‘next year’. This should encompass basically everything ever pubslished for D&D by TSR/WotC. Micah and I speculate a bit but mostly rejoice, what are your thoughts? Leave us a comment!

Tip Corner

When you’re using custom CSS for your campaigns and loading up your own custom background images (or any image for your campaign really), try and be sure to optimize the images for the web. You can do this with photoshop and other various programs by performing a web optimized save. It will help your campaign page load faster!

Twitter Question(s)

@Forbestay asks: with the playtest going on and my group bored with 4e should i try to start a campaign or do one shots?

In FFG’s defense, the Edge of the Empire book is high quality, fully illustrated rulebook. I was shocked they called it a “beta” because this is the most well developed beta product I have ever seen. It suck there won’t be a PDF if that turns out to be comfirmed.

Justin Andrew Mason pointed us in your direction. I’m one of the producers of the D&D Doc. Your line about us being “good film-makers and terrible Kickstarters” pretty much sums up our experience with Kickstarter at the moment. We are getting our butts kicked. Thank you for covering our project and spreading the word. And please let us know how we can answer some of your questions about the project, we would love nothing more than the opportunity to do so.

Congrats again for the Ennies! By the way I always listen to the podcast. My comment today is regarding the discussion suggesting that the doccie footage is enough and what expenses will still be needed. Most costs will be post production. Even for the stuff shown already, footage and permissions could have been given on spec with payment pending full production. It could be that all that you have seen on the TRAILER is not even yet paid for. It is an expensive business.

In my defense, the main reason I usually don’t comment is because I’m listening on my iPod while folding laundry so am not right by a computer when I have my disagreeing thought. Of course I couldn’t come up with something to disagree with this episode so I’ll just say I’m a little sad that FF got out of the d20 market. I really enjoyed the DragonStar game they were doing. Maybe they’ll bring some of that to the Star Wars game.

On the D&D Doc, and the suggestion that it seems like “buying” credit for involvement. I think you’re probably confusing what an Executive Producer is responsible for. An executive producer of a movie is typically involved in technical or packaging aspects of production, such as presenting a product concept to a financing entity, or being involved in fund raising. As a $10,000 perk, I’d say that makes an individual an acceptable executive producer. They significantly contributed to fundraising, which allows the movie to be produced. It’s actually a pretty common practice with lower budget productions (a.k.a. non-Hollywood), to include individual investors and backers as executive producers; it’s a way of saying, “Hey, this person helped make this happen.”

Super glad you mentioned the D&D documentary – and exponentially more glad that the campaign finally seems to be picking up steam! I met the guys at Gary Con up in Lake Geneva last March, and so I’ve been “Sharing” via my Facebook page since their campaign started, and have been really disappointed with the results until some others (Paizo’s Lisa Stevens I think was a pretty huge impetus) finally began to spread the word. This has been fairly revelatory in demonstrating just how small my sphere of influence currently seems to be, hahaha!
On your comments about the WotC folks, I’ve long been of the firm opinion (without ever having met or spoken directly with them – just their blogs, comments, etc.) that their “boots on the ground” folks – Wyatt, Mearls, Perkins, etc. – are true lovers of the game, and totally “get it,” but that the problems and resultant crappy decisions have been the result of their being owned by “corporate suits.” I would just….soooo indescribably love to be able to buy WotC back from under (fromunda – heh) Hasbro and “let them be.” I think we’d see a huge shift in how things are done, and in the community’s reaction, overall impression, and support as a result.

James, thanks for your comments. We are really happy that the D&D doc got funded and Micah and I have both backed it as well actually. As for WotC/Hasbro yeah I see what you mean, though I’m not sure how much influence Hasbro really has. From what I’ve gathered it seems to be minimal, or at least less than it used to be. Keeping my fingers crossed for D&DNext!

Just found the podcast and I’m digging it.
I do have to come to the defense of FFG though. Their books and games are expensive, but the cusotmer service is excellent. I have had one board game with a broken part and one of my Warhammer core set books had it’s binding come apart after a few uses. In both cases FFG asked for little more than my address and shipped me replacements right away.
As far as the PDF for Star Wars you are correct. PDFs are classified Electronic Games so FFG would have to purchase a separate additional license to make a PDF available. Wotc had this same issue before before they weren’t anti-PDF. So it is unlikely that PDFs will ever be available.

We’re glad you’ve found us, and even more glad that you’re enjoying the show! That’s awesome about FFG, I’ve never had any of my FF games have issues so I’ve got zero experience with customer service (this is a good thing). Bummer about not being able to get PDF’s too, it seems like such an important part in today’s age of RPGs.

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